Forget the Mayo! Jungle Juice Makes Low-Cal Magic

Chicken and tuna salad may be considered healthy options by some. But there's one ingredient that makes health gurus shriek and calorie counters overload – mayonnaise.

So one North Miami-Dade eatery decided to challenge the traditional recipe and create an odd substitute… so odd that it actually works.

Jorge Ruiz, owner of the Sunny Isles locale Jungle Juice, calls it “magic.” What is it? Carrot pulp!

The recipe was created by Ruiz who is an avid chicken and tuna salad lover, but cringes at the fact that most recipes call for it to be drenched in the oil-and-egg stuff.

Jungle Juice’s recipe is simple – pure chicken or tuna salad, carrot pulp, and about six tablespoons of mayonnaise, making about 15 individual scoops ($2.75). That means a serving has about 35 calories from the mayonnaise… not bad. 

“Because we make fresh juices, I always have a good amount of pulp left,” explained Ruiz. “I asked myself, How can I put it to good use? and that’s when the recipe really came to life.”

Diners can order the salad plain, put in a wrap ($8.99) or have it on top of one of their specialty salads ($6.99+). For those with more of an appetite, Jungle Juice recommends ordering any of their various sides like sweet potato ($2.50), broccoli ($2.50) or brown rice ($2.50+) to add to their meal.

And just a tip: Jungle Juice isn’t just the name of the restaurant – it’s also a symbol for the signature sauce that accompanies almost everything on the menu, including the chicken and tuna salad. The sauce is famously addictive and nothing short of delicious… you’ll probably want to ask for a few extras.

So put your guilt to the side and treat yourself today because now you can enjoy your favorite lunchtime meal with no infamous mayonnaise regrets.

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